The Ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker Cheat Sheet

It takes years to master the game of Texas Hold’em poker, but you can pick up the basics very quickly. Check out the following Texas Hold’em cheat sheet to learn the basics and prepare for a big tournament or cash game.
Cheat Sheet for Poker Hands
What beats what? It’s a question that most novice players ask, and it’s fundamental to playing any poker game. Here’s a quick poker hands cheat sheet, along with the odds of landing each hand:
- Royal Flush = 649,739 to 1
- Straight Flush = 72,192 to 1
- Four-of-a-Kind = 4,164 to 1
- Full House = 693.16 to 1
- Flush = 507.80 to 1
- Straight = 253.8 to 1
- Three-of-a-Kind = 46.32 to 1
- Two Pair = 20.035 to 1
- One Pair = 1.36 to 1
Poker Sheet for Abbreviations
To ensure you’re properly prepared to play Texas Hold’em poker online, you need to know some of the abbreviations that you may encounter at the table:
- GL = Good Luck
- NC = Nice Catch (said sarcastically, also “GC” for “good catch”)
- N1 = Nice One
- TY = Thank You
- GG = Good Game
- NL = No Limit
- NLHE = No Limit Hold’em
- NE1 = Anyone
Poker Cheat Sheet Moves
There is no prescribed way to play poker. It’s mainly about reading the table and players. For instance, if you’re playing against aggressive players who raise or call everything, you should play with more restraint than if you’re up against players who fold when they don’t have something big. In that sense, online poker strategy requires you to learn and adapt.
However, some basic rules can help, as noted below in our poker Texas Hold’em cheat sheet:
Hand | When to Play in Early Position | When to Play in Middle Position | When to Play in Late Position |
Unsuited Cards | AJ to AK; KJ and KQ | A10 to AK; K10 to KQ; QJ | A9 to AK; K9 to KQ Q9, Q10, J10. |
Suited Cards | AJ to AK; KJ and KQ | A9 to AK; K9 to Q9 to QJ; J9 and J10 | All ace hands; K7 to KQ; Q8 to QJ; J7 to JQ; 78, 89, and 910. |
Pairs | 9s to As | 7s to As | 5s to As |
Top Tips for Playing Online Texas Hold’em
If you want to play like a pro, you need the mentality of a pro. Here are a few skills that every professional poker player has in their arsenal:
Create a Bankroll
Whether you’re checking poker, blackjack, or video poker tips, one of the first things you’ll be told is to create a bankroll. It’s important for all casino games and is something every professional player does.
A bankroll is your budget for gambling. It should be taken from your disposable income and be an amount you can afford to lose. Don’t increase your bankroll on a whim, don’t blow it in the first few sessions of the month, and never risk more than you can afford to lose.
Be Aware of Tilt
Tilt occurs when you get hit with a bad beat and react poorly. Players often play aggressively in this position, regularly going all-in and taking massive risks. Bad beats happen, but you must step back, breathe, relax, and return when you’ve gotten over it.
Bluff Only When it Improves Your Position
It’s tempting to bluff against a player who has frustrated you at the table, whether because they bluffed you and then showed their cards or gave you a bad beat. But this is a slippery slope.
Many experienced players will show their bluff to trigger others and push them into playing recklessly. They’ll bluff you, anger you, wait until they have a strong hand, and then lure you into a trap. You bluff, they call, and your desperation to get revenge has cost you most of your chips before you know it.
Don’t Bluff Callers
There is a time and a place to bluff, and sitting at a table full of players who call everything is not it. If they are playing that loosely, you can’t bluff them. But that’s a good thing, as it means they will probably call you when you have a strong hand, making it easy to take all of their chips!
Mix Up Your Play
If you only play strong hands, other players at the table will pick up on that. They’ll be able to read your play and know precisely what you have. The same is true if you constantly bluff or play too aggressively. So, mix it up and don’t follow a rigid pattern.
Don’t Play Tight Around the Bubble
Most novice players tighten around the bubble when the tournament moves into the money places. They are desperate to win something in the tournament, even if they end up with an amount marginally higher than the buy-in.
Instead of tightening up, play more aggressively. Take as many blinds and bets as you can from those scared players. When the bubble bursts, all of those tight players will switch, and you’ll see a lot of all-ins. This is where you can relax, letting them take each other out as you wait for things to settle down.
Consider Your Expected Value (EV)
EV is something that all professional players consider. It’s a calculation of expected value based on probability and stake. For instance, it’s poor value if you are waiting for a single card on the river but need to call half of your stake to get there. But it could be worth it if you only call a small amount into a big pot.
Summary: Texas Hold’em Cheat Sheet
There’s a lot to learn about the game of Texas Hold’em, and we can only teach you so much. So, take the basics above, play slowly, stake small, and over time, you will learn more about the game. A few thousand hands later, you could be well on your way to becoming a poker pro!
Poker Common Queries
What is a poker cheat sheet?
A poker cheat sheet is a simple list of essential info, including hand values and strategy.
What is the order of winning hands in a poker cheat sheet?
The highest is the Royal Flush, followed by a straight flush. A high card is the lowest.
Are cheat sheets allowed in poker?
You can use them online and may be allowed to take them to the table, provided you don’t use your cheat sheet during a hand.
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